Guide-fin structure for balloons.



J. R. GAMMEEH.

UiDE FIN STRUCTURE FOR BALLUNS.

APPUCAHON FILED APR. WH.,

Patented Dec. 1l), 1918.

4 TTORNEV JOHN R. GAMMETER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASS

IGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GUIDE-FIN STRUCTURE FOR BALLOONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application led April 22, 1918. Serial No. .229,940-

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. GAMMETER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit vand State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Guide-Fin Structure for Balloons, of which the following is a specification. This' invention relates to guide-vanes, planes, sails or fins, and especially the tins of non-rigid balloons of the captive observation type, although the invention may be employed on other types of balloons or wherever it may prove useful. My particular object in connection with a balloon is to provide a thin, light and durable iin including a form of ribbing or frame structure which will withstand rough usage and enable a non-rigid envelop equipped therewith to be readily folded or rolled and transported.

Of the accompanying drawings,`

'Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear. portion of a balloon envelop provided'with a guide-iin structure constructed according to my invention.

'Fig'. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a portion of one of the fins showing the pneumatic ribbing, the web, and the stay connections.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the rear connection between the envelop and the trunk ribs of the three iins.

nig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation, broken away and in section, showing construction of one of the trunk ribs.

In the drawings, 10 is the collapsible balloon envelop or gas bag whose rear portion is equipped with two horizontal fins 11 and one depending vertical fin 12. The frame of each iin comprises a series of pneumatic ribs, of which 13 is a trunk rib extending along and conforming to the contour of the envelop 10 and. having its forward end lashed or tied to said envelop by means of cords 14, the rear ends of these trunk ribs having a common connection with the envelop as indicated in Fig. 4. 15, 15 are a series of outstanding pneumatic branch ribs of different lengths having their inner ends suitably secured to the trunk ribs as indicated at 16 in Fig. 3, the air chambers of the trunk and branch ribs being preferably individual or se arate.

The seferalri s are composed of lengths of ordinary Jabric-and-rubber hose-pipe propartly the lashing ,zontal arms of said bracket ing stays 29 vided with suitable littings or end closures 17, 18 wired thereto as indicated at 19 in F ig. 5, this view representing any one of the trunk ribs 13. The front end closure 17 has a flange provided with holes 20 for the cords 14, and the end closure 18 is provided with an ordinary infiating valve 22 such as those used for pneumatic tires. Similar inlating valves are provided in the outer end closures of the branch ribs 15, as will be understood without repeating this detailed illustration. The end closure 18 in each case also has an axially-projecting pin 23 for detachably Vconnecting the end of the rib to some adjacent structure. Y

Figs. 4 and 5 represent the details of connection of ythe converging rear ends of the three trunk ribs 13 to each other and to the envelop, their pins 23 occupying holes in a common ring 24 which is secured by a strap 25 to the envelop 10.

The web or webbing 26 of each iinis composed of cloth and is its inner edge to the trunk rib 13 by means of cord loops or rings 27. It is secured to the branch ribs 15` by means of sheaths 28 formed on the web and occupied by said r1 s.

The fins are kept in their outstanding positions by a series of cord st'ays 29 attached at their inner ends to the balloon envelop and at their outer ends to suitable points on the fins. For-example, the outermost stays are attached to the two vertical arms of a four-armed bracket 30 which is detachably connected to the pin on the outer end-closure 18 of the branch rib, the horiv being lashed to the web 26 are attached to small metal rings 32 on the sheaths 28.

Fins of this type are light and will Withstand rough usage. Their thinness affords the minimum of air resistance. The inflation' of the ribs makes them sutliciently stili' to preserve the shape of the fins when in use, and the iexibility of the entire structure allows the balloonequipped with these tins to be readily rolled up and transported. The web 26 can, when desired, be readily lashed or tied alongk by-cords 31, while the remain-- slipped of? from the pneumatic frame after undoing the stays and cord lashings and removing the detachable end brackets 30.

claim:

1. A guide lin comprising aseries of liexible pneumatic frame members, and webbing connecting said members.

A guide iin comprising flexible pneumatic pipes forming trunk and branch frame members, and a web connected with said members.

3. The combination, with a balloon envelop, of a guide En thereon comprising a flexible pneumatic trunlr rib extending along the envelop, branch ribs, and webbing connected with said ribs.

4. The combination, with a balloon envelop, of a guide iin thereon comprising iiexible pneumatic ribs projecting at intervals from the envelop, and iiexible webbing in the spaces between said ribs.

5. rlhe combination, With a balloon envelop, of a guide in thereon comprising'a flexible pneumatic trunk rib extending along the envelop, flexible pneumatic branch ribs standing out from said trunk rib, and ilexible webbing connected with the trunk r'ib and lilling the spaces between the branch ribs.

6. A guide n comprising a flexible web provided With a rib-sheath, and a flexible pneumatic rib in said sheath.

7. A. guide lin comprising a flexible Web provided with transverse rib sheaths, a frame having a lexible pneumatic trunlr rib extending along and tied at intervals to one edge of said web, and flexible pneumatic branch ribs occupying said sheaths.

8. The combination, with a balloon envelop, of a plurality of guide instliereon, each comprising a flexible Web and a flexible pneumatic Web-frame including a longitudinal trunk member, the respective trunk Leonesa members having a common connection with the envelop at their rear ends.

9. rThe combination, with a balloon envelop, of a plurality of guide ins thereon, each including a longitudinal trunk member forming part of -a Web frame and consisting of a pneumatic hose-pipe provided with a rear end closure, a connecting member common to the several rear end closures, and means for attaching said connecting member to the balloon envelop.

l0. rlhe combination, with a balloon envelop, of a guide iin ,thereoncoznprising a flexible Web provided with transverse ribsheaths, flexible pneumatic trame ribs in said sheaths, and stays connecting said sheaths with the balloon envelop for maintaining the fin in its outstanding` position.

1l. The combination, with a balloon envelop, of a guide n thereon comprising an outstanding flexible pneumatic frame rib, a stay-bracket detachably connected With-the outer end of said rib, stays connecting said bracket with the balloon envelop for main taining the position of the fin, and a Web supported by said rib.

l2. The combination, with a balloon envelop7 of a guide n thereon comprising a series of outstanding `flexible pneumatic Jframe ribs, a flexible web supported thereon,

stay brackets ldetachably connected with the` outer ends of said ribs andv tied to the outer edge of said web, and fin-positioning stays connecting said stay brackets With the balloon envelop.

ln testimony Whereoic l have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of A iril, 1918. JOHN R. @AMM TER. 

